Northumberland or burts LOL

Hello From Northumberland,
Im frank Been running for a long time having completed 13 Great North Runs, like many i read "Born to Run" totally enthrauled by it. Also like many I began gently 1 or 2 miles on the tread mill bare foot then thought "Vibran Five Fingers" was the way to go. Went off too quick with three 6 mile runs and my calfs told the tale. Now reading Ken Bob Saxton's barefoot running guide and planning to go with it. Totaly beliveve in barefoot
 
Welcome to the crew, Frank. My story was very similar - lifelong runner (soldier), wanted to transition faster, tried VFFs, stress-fractured a bone in my left foot, started over BF. I now alternate between BF and VFFs, using the shoes as tools as needed for rougher terrain, longer distances or colder runs. Glad you've found us, and happy to have you along for the ride/run.
Phil
 
Welcome!
 
Frank:

As a 20-plus year long-striding heel-striker before converting to BF/minimal, forefoot landing with shorter strides and a much quicker cadence while leaning forward from my ankle joints was no longer "natural" for me. I had to unlearn all those years of muscle memory, replacing them slowly, deliberately and repeatedly with good human running form, which is what we get when we run BF. So going BF first was critically important for me to learn good natural running form. I use VFFs as tools regularly, but I can tell a difference in running in them and running BF. My joint loading impact while BF running is approximately 90% less than while running in big shoes and heel-striking. My VFF runs are more like 75% less impact; still better, but not as good. But they allow me to run more often and longer distances, so it's a trade-off I'm willing to make. 10K is about my usual limit BF.
Steady, deliberate and gradual is the way to BF success. Remember you are doing 3 things: conditioning your soles themselves, strengthening all the connecting tissues and supporting fine motor-control muscles in your feet, and re-extending you achilles tendons back to the length the were before you started wearing heeled shoes.

Phil
 
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Cheers Phil,

I dont invisage in reality 100% barefoot well you never know.... how are you finding the whole thought process in to the mechanics of it or is it more natyral than you think ?

Frank

Welcome Frank...

Dogfather from the UK here.

As you know by now, slow and steady is the key. Don't rule out the natural. When you are ready for it try a few short runs on a soft forgiving surface to see if it is or you.
 
Good Morning Phil,
Thank you for the advice, Im looking forward to the challange, I know the urge to go for it can be great as i said I did go off too quickley a few months ago and I paid the price. I will not do that again did you go for the extream initial start as Ken Bob Saxton recomends i.e gravel ... ? or did you go grass, cross country then roads ?

Frank
 
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Whoa, boss. Take it easy. Rest and healing are as important early on as progress. In fact, you will start going backwards if you get irrationally exuberant too often. I know it's great fun, but don't do too much too soon. Glad you're having such fun, I just hope you remember to moderate it so you can keep steadily moving forward.
 
Well now running 6 miles one off a week, in Sockwa G4's and spending my working days in a fantastic pair of Lems shoes thatnk to this society's competition. I've had a couple of lovely mails from Brad at lems and they are currently getting there web site updated and have asked if I was ok for them to publish my review of the shoes .... Im currently logging just under 100 miles a month using Altra zero drop shoes for the long > 12 mile runs.